St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-11-03
Such Is the Verdict of st. Paul
Citizens as to the Chi
cago Anarchists.
Otto HaeSe, a Well-Known So
cialist, Speaks on the
Red-Flag Bearers.
Opinion of T. M. Blakeley, Who
Reviewed the Evidence
With an Editors Care.
General Expressions That the
United States Supreme
Court Decision Is Just.

Following the refusal of the supreme
court of the United States to grant the
writ of error in the case of the seven
anarchists, it was rumOred that num-
ber of socialists would go from st. Paul
to Chicago an the date of the executions
to aid in any demonstrations that might
be inaugurated by the order in that city.
A GLOBE reporter called upon Otto
Haese, one of the most prominent
socialists in st. Paul, who is on the edi-
tOrlal staff of the West Publishing COM
pany.
''Mr. Haese, have you heard of any
scheme of the socialists here to go to
Chicago ON Nov. 11?" asked the re-
porter.
"There has been none to my knowl-
edge" he replied, 'Indeed, it seems in
credible that any person should under
take so foolish an act as to change
events which is in the power of no
number of men to prevent. 1t may be,
and this is2 the exception, that the gov
ernOr of Illinois may exercise his right
of extending clemency. WOrkingmen,
as rule, believe that the verdict and
judgment cOndemning the crime, of the
Cook county court, and the affirmance
of the same by the supreme court of
Illinois, is an act of class prejudice. My
opinion is that human beings are liable to
err and Judges as much. / do not believe,
however, that the justices of the supreme
court knowingly, have disregarded the
rights of the parties defendant. Upon
an examination of the opinion of the
supreme court l find that there are very
strong points against Spies and COM
radeS, while on the other hand there
seem to be, and no doubt are, points in
favor of the condemned men which seem
to lead to the conclusion that a real con-
spiracy to throw that bomb, or commit
any other criminal acts was not war;
ranted. 1 believe that the justices may
have allowed themselves to be carried
away by popular clamOrS, and so unin-
tentiOnally arrived at conclusion adj
verse to Spies and associates. May be,
upon close inspection of the record, the
Judgment of affirmance is sustained by
the evidence. may be not. This / call
not tell, even not from careful perusal
of the opinion. The understanding of
seems to be that the condemned men
speaking as they did of the
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS
and that the interference of the Chicago
police, on the 4th of May, with the
meeting held at Haymarket, was unau-
thOriZed by law, and as supporting their
views, they point to the testimony of
Carter Harrison, mayor at that time,
and Mr.. English, a newspaper reporter,
who Swore that the meeting was peace
able. The especial reason that work
ingmen are of this opinion is that anar-
chists, at that time, favored strongly
Oct me add too strongly the eight-hOur
movement, while before they were ridi-
culing the wOrkingmen for striving for
such slight advantages as the reduction
of the hours of work would guarantee.
Of course these are sentiments not eX-
actly answering your. points, in as far as
the question arises what is my opinion
on the probabilities and outcome of the
execution of the law. Now / believe,
granting for the sake of argument, that
these men are guilty and in view of the
fact that large portion of citizens do
not believe the condemnation of these
men quite justified, or at least believed
the punishment to be excessive,
then it would be better and be means
of restoring harmony and good feel
ing, that executive clemency Should be
Again, as far as present
troubles may be anticipated do not be-
lieve there is the slightest danger, but
| am afraid the precedent established
by the opinion of the supreme court of
Illinois, may be a bad one. 1t may be
turning point in our constitutional his
tory, such as
MAY LEAD TO TROUBLES.
/ feel not justified to condemn the
Judges for having done what they
lid and yet cannot approve of it. May
be that Pm not as familiar with the act
lal facts and the evidence adduced, may
be on account of my prOclivities to favor
radical movements and see people amel- |
orate their condition: may be because
do not believe in capital punishment. !
However this may be, at the present |
lime, more than at any other period of |
)ur history, we need statesmen who will |
,e able to maintain true principles of |
democracy and reconcile antagOnlstic |
interests.
Men, such as we need, will be brought |
'orth, and let US hope in time to prevent !
.epetitiOn of history such as caused the |
overthrow of noble Greece and mighty |
Rome. We can afford to have peace |
md proSperity-if we cannot. l should |
despair of mankind. Law, as long as it |
expresses the understanding of the peo-
Die, should be religiouSly Obeyed, but |
when diScOrd and dissent awaken the
passions of heart and interest, then it
S time to mediate and consider-be-
,ause we are human beings, and likely |
o be carried away by our passions.
A VALUABLE OPINION.
Probably the most intelligent opinion
is that of T. NJ. Blakely, who
attended the trial throughout and drew
lp the resume of the case, which ap-
,eared in the Northeastern Law Re
porter. Said he:
The judgment was right, and any grant Of
writ of error would have been weakened
concession to morbid sentimentality. There
vas nothing in any of the points on which
he application to the supreme court was
'ased. Undoubtedly the anarchists were
ried by an impartial jury, and undoubtedly
hey were properly convicted as members
f vicious conspiracy. Reasonable
nen reading the evidence could only come to
me conclusion. Schnaubelt, whose good
ortuDe it is at present to be abroad whence
e safely sends statements exculpating his
elbow conspirators, threw the bomb; there
5 very little doubt that Spies lit it before it
Tas thrown, and none that Lingg made it, or
hat Fielden fred on the police, or that all
be defendants were overwhelmingly con-
cCtcu Will ~ conspiracy WiioSC OpJSOtS MClC |
Unlawful and whose methods were diaboli-
al Milk and water talk about the progress
f society," and the fright to advocate the
institution of new form of government"
oes . not meet the. case, nor do
eferences to "John Brown" or
be Southern rebellion. No one
enies the right of free speech or the right of
be people to agitate peaceably for change
f government. Constitutional agitation,
arried on by civilized means, is one thing,
citation by assassination, by dynamite. fire